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juggling two stories
Oh you plot bunnies!
Two very different stories about a character who finds herself in another world. The means by which they are moved differ, the situations they find themselves in differ, their powersets differ, and the reasons they have powers differ. Their enemies differ, and so does the conflict.
This probably means they should have different reactions to arrival, perhaps all the more in that they do not glide over it as a machine that the readers will simply accept as not relevant to the plot. (It is relevant in both cases, though -- the reasons differ.)
Both are going to have metaphysical questions, though. No matter how different I make them.
(And I don't even know if either one is a full story yet.)
Two very different stories about a character who finds herself in another world. The means by which they are moved differ, the situations they find themselves in differ, their powersets differ, and the reasons they have powers differ. Their enemies differ, and so does the conflict.
This probably means they should have different reactions to arrival, perhaps all the more in that they do not glide over it as a machine that the readers will simply accept as not relevant to the plot. (It is relevant in both cases, though -- the reasons differ.)
Both are going to have metaphysical questions, though. No matter how different I make them.
(And I don't even know if either one is a full story yet.)
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muddling through the draft
Was plugging along on the first draft, and realized that it might be more interesting with another character, the daughter of one I had in the outline. Breezily wrote pages with her --
And realized that she doesn't work. The hero has to be opposed by someone whose expectation is unreasonable, and so the daughter has to go.
I glowered and grumbled, and poked it to figure out where to set up the no-longer-a-mother do what was needed. I realized that after what happened to the hero's mother, I could set up a kind-and-unkind-girls tale.
Which relief lasted until I sat down and had to write it. I still needed to plot out three scenes and put them in.
Ah, well, at least the vague outlines have formed.
And realized that she doesn't work. The hero has to be opposed by someone whose expectation is unreasonable, and so the daughter has to go.
I glowered and grumbled, and poked it to figure out where to set up the no-longer-a-mother do what was needed. I realized that after what happened to the hero's mother, I could set up a kind-and-unkind-girls tale.
Which relief lasted until I sat down and had to write it. I still needed to plot out three scenes and put them in.
Ah, well, at least the vague outlines have formed.
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time passing
The five girls are studying hard, and having some amusements, and trying to devise a project. The big project, the one that proves they can do the job they are studying for.
So how much of the other stuff gets depicted as they pound their heads against the wall? It can't obsess them day and night, or they would be discharged from their studies as crazy. But how much of it is relevant?
So how much of the other stuff gets depicted as they pound their heads against the wall? It can't obsess them day and night, or they would be discharged from their studies as crazy. But how much of it is relevant?
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ah changes
I thought the scene where the heroine put down her foot about something to try to protect her would be the midpoint. Except it's not shaping up that way. In part because I introduced another scene which may confuse the matter.
sigh You know, it was one of the first scenes I thought of when I realized the story was too thin.
sigh You know, it was one of the first scenes I thought of when I realized the story was too thin.
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back and forth goes the plot shuttle
A character is being a pill.
He might even hail the main character before the manor court through some chicanery. Oh, wonderful, the idea runs off because the main character could do things and learn things through the manor court.
Then a cold gimlet thought looks at the way the character is being a pill and is not happy with it.
Do I have to invent a different reason to get her there? Ah, plotting.
He might even hail the main character before the manor court through some chicanery. Oh, wonderful, the idea runs off because the main character could do things and learn things through the manor court.
Then a cold gimlet thought looks at the way the character is being a pill and is not happy with it.
Do I have to invent a different reason to get her there? Ah, plotting.
juggling times and knowledge
Sometimes events dictate their order. This is useful. Because if they do not dictate it, you have to decide it.
This can be annoying. The heroine must learn of a spy and, indeed, be frustrated at the limits it imposes, but that could happen, if not at any time, at a number.
Everything the heroine synthesizes must be planted first, and subtly.
This can be annoying. The heroine must learn of a spy and, indeed, be frustrated at the limits it imposes, but that could happen, if not at any time, at a number.
Everything the heroine synthesizes must be planted first, and subtly.
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villains, do your thing
The story is feeling a little weak.
I have ripped off a skeleton with pinch points, and realized that the villains have to act at some point so as to precipitate our heroine's decision to act boldly despite the danger she will bring upon herself.
Since I have already had them burn a man out of house and home, it's going to probably have to be at least beatings and possibly murder. Not more than I have seen in some other children's books, to be sure. . . .
I have ripped off a skeleton with pinch points, and realized that the villains have to act at some point so as to precipitate our heroine's decision to act boldly despite the danger she will bring upon herself.
Since I have already had them burn a man out of house and home, it's going to probably have to be at least beatings and possibly murder. Not more than I have seen in some other children's books, to be sure. . . .
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Who captured them?
Not who captured whom, I'm sure of who the captives are, but it occurred to me that it was more logical for another villain to capture them.
Which means that of the very few plot threads I thought I had in hand, several are unmoored by that decision.
Hmm -- two villainous sides will have to work together more closely, however mistrustfully. Thus the character who joined the group of villains will know about the captives even though they were captured by the other villain and his henchmen.
Which means that of the very few plot threads I thought I had in hand, several are unmoored by that decision.
Hmm -- two villainous sides will have to work together more closely, however mistrustfully. Thus the character who joined the group of villains will know about the captives even though they were captured by the other villain and his henchmen.
personalities of power
A couple of reflections on personality-based powers from discussions I've been in recently:
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supers and setting up the setting
If you decide to write your own superheroes, and escape the behemoths of Marvel and DC, in a contemporary-ish setting -- I urge you to make it an alternate history.
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out of order
Some people can write scenes out of order.
I do that, and I generally manage to miss the scene when plodding on toward the ending. So I write in order.
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I do that, and I generally manage to miss the scene when plodding on toward the ending. So I write in order.
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curious kind of chess
The story is coming as a group of characters. Pieces to put on the board during the game, take off during the game, and array for a grand finale battle.
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there's a good villainess
Too many villains spoil the climax. . . .
Fortunately, the villainess I was thinking of as the chief one reveals that she will be taking a number of the others out of the way. And that will make her more dangerous for the climax. How handy!
Meanwhile, some of the others have to vanish by more ordinary means.
Now, I just have to decide whether she does it on stage, or reveals it at the end. The first builds dramatic irony but the second gives a bigger twist, assuming that I can foreshadow it enough.
Fortunately, the villainess I was thinking of as the chief one reveals that she will be taking a number of the others out of the way. And that will make her more dangerous for the climax. How handy!
Meanwhile, some of the others have to vanish by more ordinary means.
Now, I just have to decide whether she does it on stage, or reveals it at the end. The first builds dramatic irony but the second gives a bigger twist, assuming that I can foreshadow it enough.